11 Aircraft Carriers on Paper, Only 3-5 ‘Combat Ready’: The Iran War Is Exposing the U.S. Navy’s Supercarrier Force at the Breaking Point

11 Aircraft Carriers on Paper, Only 3-5 ‘Combat Ready’: The Iran War Is Exposing the U.S. Navy’s Supercarrier Force at the Breaking Point

Brandon J. Weichert analyzes the U.S. Navy’s systemic "force-structure crunch" as Operation Epic Fury strains a brittle aircraft carrier fleet. With the USS Gerald R. Ford sidelined by fire and the John C. Stennis delayed in dry dock, the Navy's industrial bottleneck threatens American power projection at its most critical moment. The post 11 Aircraft Carriers on Paper, Only 3-5 ‘Combat Ready’: The Iran War Is Exposing the U.S. Navy’s Supercarri…